Eighty-five years ago, a legend was born in San Francisco—Bruce Lee. As a timeless and cross-border symbol, his presence can still be seen on the silver screen.
November 27, 2025, was the 85th anniversary of Bruce Lee's birth. IP Guangdong invites audiences to explore the connections between this "world-class IP" and Guangdong.
Bruce Lee's father, Li Haiquan, was a renowned Cantonese opera artist, while his mother, He Aiyu, hailed from a prominent family in Hong Kong. With ancestral roots in Jun'an Town, Shunde District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, Bruce Lee returned to his ancestral home with his parents to pay homage to his ancestors during his childhood. This profound blood connection became an important spiritual foundation in his life.
Another ancestral residence of Bruce Lee, now located in Liwan District, Guangzhou City, was purchased by his father Li Haiquan in the 1940s. The courtyard and corridors all carry the cultural roots of the Bruce Lee family in Lingnan.
At the age of 13, Bruce Lee became a disciple of Yip Man to learn Wing Chun, and later integrated the essence of Lingnan martial arts such as Hung Kuen and Mantis Boxing. It was the nurturing of this fertile ground for martial arts that laid a solid foundation for his establishment of Jeet Kune Do in his later years.
Bruce Lee founded martial arts schools in the United States, broke down the barriers between martial arts sects, integrated the essence of Eastern and Western martial arts, and developed Jeet Kune Do. He further popularized Chinese Kungfu worldwide through film and television works such as Fist of Fury and Way of the Dragon.
Today, the world's tallest Bruce Lee bronze statue stands majestically in Bruce Lee Paradise in Jun'an Town. Gazing into the distance in a classic posture, it seems to still be guarding the land where his roots are deeply entrenched.
More importantly, "Bruce Lee" has evolved into a legendary IP that has traveled from Guangdong to the world. He is not only a martial artist on the silver screen, but also a cultural symbol rooted in Lingnan and nurtured in the soil of Cantonese culture—confidence, fearlessness, and innovation. These spirits continue to inspire countless pursuers.
Photo: Shanshui Jun'an, Shunde Museum, Liwan Fabu
